And So It Begins: Project Overview, Feasibility and Proposal

Mapping Baybrook: Getting Back to the Roots

Logo:

Something iconic of nature: Flowers, Trees, Green. Also somehow tying it in to the “roots” of the past. So a family tree but without one family but each branch is a different part of its history.

Mission Statement:

The mission for Mapping Baybrook: Getting back to the Roots, is to help both the community and the outside population understand the importance in Green Spaces. Yet while incorporating the green space I still want to not lose focus on the rich heritage of this community, and take it back to the settling days before the Industrial Revolution hit.

Event Description:

At the Polish Hall I would like an exhibit section. There will be two different types of Showcases. The individual projects from the AMST 422 class with the graphics work intermingled from the art students. I would like to take a section outside if weather permitting to allow kids to come and plant a couple of seeds. Nothing fancy but taking a solo cup some soil and some seeds, and showing them how to grow their own mini green spaces. Food and beverages will be readily available, and I would really like an on going showcase of different bands, singers and dancers, with stories from the residents from their past if they allow, on a show stage set up. I would also like a place that brings the people of Baybrook back to their roots, from newspaper clippings to artifacts to photos, so that the community can reminisce. If at all possible I would also like a silent auction to help us gain revenue, we could ask the community to bring in items for auction from old Baybrook, also the work of the art students with their permission could also be auctioned off.

A major entertainment part I would like to put forth is The UMBC Fever Retrievers Dance Team (I am a Captain for) and The UMBC Down and Dirty Dawg Band and Drumline (My boyfriend leads). We perform at all basketball games and have many routines and arrangements to show and I think this would be a great way for the people of Baybrook to see a different side to the UMBC population while entertaining at the same time.

Committee Structure:

o   Budget

o   Field Leader

o   Background Leader (someone to ensure the groups in the background are co operating solidly and smoothly)

o   Note taker

o   Tshirts

o   Advertisements and Promotions

o   Entertainment

o   Food and beverage

o   Liason with Art class to collaborate the final set up for projects and art work.

o   Cultural Roots Leader

o   Activities

o   Silent Auction

Revenue Producing Products:

o   Tshirts

o   Entertainment

o   Endorsed products

o   Media Involvement

o   Celebrities?

o   Pins

o   Coozies/Pins

o   Bake Sale

o   Silent Auction

Budget:

The budget we have received thus far is more than generous right now. There are going to be unexpected expenditures, but those cannot be foreseen thus far in advance especially without a solidified topic. Most people are usually willing to donate things to help also, if asked the correct way. A second look is going to be needed after we solidify a better idea for the project to determine full budget feasibility.

Schedule:

As far a scheduling for the class periods go, after the next two weeks and our project is decided, committees need to be created. After that has happened we need to work in committees and get things completed in a timely manner, to then come back as a whole group and troubleshoot and assist and appreciate each group.

Feasibility Statement:

With the project that I have proposed, I feel as though it is fully feasible with regards to time, space, season, budget and success. With cooperation as a while this project has the potential to make the residents happy, and create an event to be remembered. I think that this will help tie the UMBC community to the Baybrook community even further and create some lasting ties and support that are valuable always.

Individual Research Proposal; Overview of Topic/Place:

I would like to research the public housing in the community. While I have not yet picked a specific house, I think I will focus mainly on the history of one. Through documentation in newspapers and books and even from interviews I would like to dig a little further in to the past of one of the houses. I want to know why they are not a major part to the community and if they were in the past and also if there’s an interesting story to be learnt through its history and if the building used to be something else.

How have the public houses been useful to the community or are they mainly in the way and not enabling newer production? I feel as though the community will have some interesting viewpoints on this part of their town and I doubt all will agree to a consensus.

Week 2 and Oral histories

I missed class sadly during week 2 and thus missed the informative session we had on oral histories. However after catching up with the presentation and reading the handouts as best I could I still learnt a valuable amount.

People who know me describe me as a loud and extroverted individual, yet to those who I don't know I am as shy as they come. I am quite afraid of this oral interview part and usually fumble around new people. I have been considering the transcription part, yet I still would like to venture out of the box and try to interview someone.

Many of the small points of interviewing I definitely would not have known as a faux pas without the guidelines we received. I am guilty consistently of the "mhm's" and "oks" every three seconds to just let the speaker know that I am interested. I had not even figured the fact that it could harm my recording and lose some valuable information. The pause factor, again, I would have missed, I assume if you stop speaking that the conversation is done and time to move on to another point, not that they may consider a continuation on the subject.

I was aware of the need for at least two ways to record the narrator, I would opt for notes and an audio recording, with permission of course. Yet to come up with a series of questions that are not considered guiding is seemingly impossible. When someone has an opinion they voice I am usually ready to jump in and push for me but apparently in the wrong way with things with guiding questions such as "and then what did you do to resolve this" : what are you imagining for this".

Overall I am still trying to discern the area as to which I will focus my project. But I plan on a decision to be made by the end of this week and will post it so that everyone can see where I am headed.

Discovering the Hidden Baltimore

So, as I mentioned in class, I am not from here, not even a little bit. I probably could not have pointed out Maryland on a map until I was 16 years old. Yet, here I am, at The University of Maryland Baltimore County, thousands of miles from home and in a class that is studying an area I have never heard of.

To be completely honest I have no clue where anything is in the city minus, the inner harbour and I probably couldn't get there myself without the GPS. So for me and my opinions on this Curtis Bay area, I honestly have no clue. I have even asked natives to Baltimore County about the neighbourhoods I am about to study and they seem almost as clueless as me. So my first learning point for week 1 is that someone, maybe us, really needs to put this place on a map. No, not literally I know it is there, but there has to be something that draws people in to this community. With that comes money and with that comes a growing society.

I am still struggling with what to do for my project but I know an idea will come to me soon enough (probably at 4:30 am one night and then I won't be able to get back to sleep). I am glad I get to go in to the community and use interviewing techniques and skills to learn about the people as well as the community. I am excited for all of this class honestly, it will help me feel educated about my area in which I reside. I also think this is a great class experience and any major should have to go out in to the area and do something relevant with the community regarding their major. While the readings really have not clarified any of my " Well, what is it actually like?" questions, I know as soon as I get down there an impact will hit me and hopefully some inspiration will too!

See you tomorrow!!